Raymond Pietrowski
]] Name: Raymond "Ray" Pietrowski Jr. Gender: Male Age: 18 Hometown: North Stonington, Connecticut Grade: 12 Hobbies and Interests: Four Wheeling, Country Music, Magic the Gathering, Fishing, Hunting, Camping, Auto/Truck Repair and Mechanics, Partying. Appearance: Ray is a stocky person, standing at 5'8" and 180 pounds. Most of his weight is muscle, although he does have a bit of a belly that he's just never been able to get rid of. He cuts his hair extremely short, making it almost appear as a bit of brown fuzz atop his head. He also makes a point to shave every day as he hates the way he looks with a beard. He has olive skin, generally due to his time in the fields as he was born extremely pale, being polish. However whenever he doesn't have a shirt on, it's painfully obvious that the olive coloration is nothing but a farmer's tan. He generally dresses in mock prep; preferring a polo with the collar popped or an opened button down dress shirt and a pair of black jeans to the typical country fare. However he does always have a giant belt buckle, with either a confederate flag, or a skull of some kind. If it's not a standard leather belt, it's his belt from Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico. His forehead is his most prominent facial feature; due to the way he cuts his hair, it emphasizes the area; it was already large to begin with. Even though his body is mainly muscle, his face definitely doesn't reflect it. From all of his time partying he has managed to get a bit of a beer gut in addition to a few fatty deposits around his cheeks and neck. Nothing that makes him look overweight from a bust shot, just enough to make him look a bit younger than he is. He has hazel eyes, which in the right light almost seem to glare due to his contact lenses. When he smiles he has a bit of a toothy grin, if anything just emphasizing his rural tendencies. Biography: Ray was born to Michelle and Raymond Pietrowski Sr. in Norwich, Connecticut. The pair had a strained marriage before Ray came along, but they decided to try and make it work for his sake. Ray was oblivious to this as a child however, a facade of a happy household being put on for him throughout his childhood years. The pair combined made a respectable amount, enough to keep a small suburban home for themselves. However there was a strain that the marriage couldn't withstand, a surprise pregnancy when Ray was three. Based on timing it was obvious that the child wasn't Raymond Sr's. The two split up during Michelle's third trimester, mutually agreeing to split custody of the kids. Ray went with his father, and the two moved to North Stonington, in a tiny, cheap four room home. Quite a few of the people in North Stonington were farmers or in some way related to farmers, so from Ray's earliest memories, he's always been a rural kid. Ray attended North Stonington Elementary School, and pretty much had a standard time of it. Being less than privileged money-wise, he was given reduced cost lunches, something that didn't garner him many popularity points. Rather than allow himself to be made fun of though, he decided that he would take a stand. In the third grade he was suspended for a month for striking another student when they attempted to call him names. While he received less than satisfactory marks for the rest of the year due to the time lost, he still managed to pass and advance to the next grade. The rest of his elementary school years were uneventful, those that didn't like him warded off by his previous actions. He started to hang out with the few people who would accept him in this setting, who came from other less privileged families. His best friend during this time was Norman, and as the two grew up, they began to fall into the 'redneck' culture that prevailed in the area. When about the fourth grade hit, Ray's father began taking the pair out on regular fishing trips, teaching Ray and Norm all that he knew. It began with fresh-water fishing, and when the pair reached the seventh grade, he took them out salt-water fishing for the first time. A family friend, Pat Colgan, owned a boat out on some lake front property in the more expensive part of town, so the three, in addition to Pat and his son Chris took a weekend during the summer after their sixth grade year to Long Island, and fished out in the sound. No real catches save for some smaller fish, but the three loved it. Most of Ray's misses came from the fact he just plain didn't notice there was something on his line, or his lack of attention to the fishing at hand however. Come the beginning of High School, the original trio went out hunting; Ray and Norm's first time. Again, an instant hit with the boys, and semi-regular hunting trips were planned for the next few years, about every other month or so. North Stonington is a small town, so the Middle and High Schools were both combined into the Same Building; The Wheeler Central School. Word filters down in this kind of a setting, so Ray began to hear how absolutely rubbish that the teaching standards in the High School levels were in North Stonington. He also began to hear about a program to allow North Stonington students to go to Ledyard High School for their Vocational Agriculture program. Ray, being a bit of a redneck by the sixth grade, definitely found the idea interesting, but with classes to worry about, he filed it away into the back of his mind. His graded during this time hovered in the B - C region, not because he wasn't smart, but because he didn't care that much. He found that he could get decent marks in a class without actually doing all the homework, so he filed that time away for fishing and other, more fun activities. In the Seventh Grade, Ray joined the Boy Scouts, much at his Father's prodding. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to spend his time doing. However it began to grow on him. The outdoors and camping quickly became his favorite part of the scouts. While he didn't go to every single trip, he did find his interests in the outdoors were less specific to Hunting and Fishing, and more general. In the eighth grade, Ray's father began a landscaping business, quickly quitting his crappy day jobs at the local convenience store. Up until then, he had been working both as a manager at the Dunkin' Donuts, and as a Cashier in the actual convenience store. The business was successful for a time, but not successful enough. It was around this time that Michelle was arrested for drug possession and intent to sell. The state no longer saw her as a fit parent for Ray's sister, Kimberly, so Ray Sr. took her in. He couldn't quite keep up with two kids, one 13 and one 9, and due to the lack of sleep he was getting, the business failed three years later. Ray continued through the Boy Scouts, eventually attaining the rank of Eagle. Ray had began to gain an interest in trucks during late middle school as well. Not only deciding that he wanted a 1985 Ford for his first truck (He loved the roaring sound the things made), he also decided he wanted to work on it himself. His father owned an early 90's Chevy, so every time his father had to do a repair on the slowly dying truck, Ray tagged along and helped; he eventually came to love this as well. By this time he was slowly beginning to turn into his father, just with less fat and a bit smarter. The 9th grade was a very full year for Ray. Not only did those old stories about crappy education quality in Wheeler ring true finally, he also had an interesting incident in the boy scouts. One day in the fall during a standard Thursday meeting, he and his newfound friend from scouts, Aaron Bheuler, went out to set up the skill for the day in the woods behind the firehouse where they met: orienteering. While setting up the course, Ray found a boy somewhere near the elementary school tied to a chair. He looked extremely battered. Upon freeing the younger boy, Travis, it was revealed that he had been there for a day and a half after being tricked and attacked by some other fifth graders. While the two didn't see each other again until Travis made it to the Boy Scouts when Ray as 16, they quickly became good friends when that happened. Ray became Senior Patrol Leader when he was 17, and then attained Eagle Scout at 18, essentially completing his time in the scouts. He took up the town of North Stonington on their program to send kids to Ledyard High School in the 10th grade, slightly fed up with being taught down to, and receiving at the worst a B+ without doing any homework or putting any effort into any of his classes. Even though he didn't care so much, the education was cheap and worthless, even by his standards. Around this time he realized that he wanted to be a mechanic of some kind, that being his only interest that really carried over to the 'real world'. He also decided that the Agriculture Classes would at least be interesting, which they definitely were. Later in the year he got a part time job at a farm in North Stonington, seeing that while you had to be 16 to get most Jobs, the minimum age for a farmhand in the state was still 14. He got invited to his first party late in the 10th grade, and one stupid night of under aged drinking later, he found that well... like most rednecks, he loved beer! He was a regular attendee at these parties, eventually becoming close friends with the Hostess, Jess. The parties usually contained a lot of drinking, followed by Mud-running on the ATVs that Jess's family had. More than once there was a flipped ATV, or a broken bone; not enough to stop them from doing it, of course. There was one particular incident his Junior year where he didn't notice an incoming tree branch, and he got thrown clear off of his ATV, the branches sticking him in the eyes; he's worn contact lenses ever since. Also during the 10th grade, he was lucky enough to be invited by his Scoutmaster to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. The place is a massive area, roped off just for scout's use. It has a decent sized chunk of mountain range, and during the summer after his 10th grade year, they went. It was a ten day long trip, and combined over the ten days the group of scouts from all over the country hiked close to fifty miles through the mountains. It was one of Ray's most cherished memories from the scouts, and ever since he's held on to his mementos from the trip and made a point to keep them safe and prominently on display. Throughout his high school years, Ray received mediocre marks, ranging from B-'s to C's, with the occasion D here and there. He put in just enough effort to get by, not really caring one way or the other. He knew he could get a job as a mechanic without amazing grades, so why bother? In his Senior Year, his friend Travis came back from being home schooled, and went directly into Ledyard. The two got even closer then, as now they were hanging out on a daily basis. Travis was a bit of a nerd compared to Ray, and both of them introduced the other to new interests. Travis became interested in Cars from Ray, and Ray picked up Trading Card Games, specifically Magic the Gathering, from Travis. However, being unable to admit that he played with the people he hung out with for the most part, the two always played together, and Ray never really got into it as anything more than a passing hobby. He currently has plans to go to the Universal Technical Institute under their year long program in Diesel Engine Repair, and then hopefully get a job in a repair shop. Advantages: While his circle of good friends is small, it's also extremely tight. He has a very good reason for winning and making it home, not letting his friends down. Also his boy scout experience is a major advantage, as he knows the outdoors well and has a good chance of survival from the elements, just not his peers. He worked on a farm for three years prior to the game as well, which helped to make him stronger and tougher, another thing that could serve as an advantage. Disadvantages: While Ray talks a big game to his peers, the last time he's ever actually fought anyone was the incident in the third grade. He is also not very strong willed as shown during that incident, so the reality of what is happening to him may very well break his psyche. He's never been a perceptive person either, so he is less likely than his peers to notice that he is being snuck up on. He's also become a bit of an alcoholic from the constant partying without even really realizing it, so withdrawals may set in if he survives to later in the game. --- Power: Stone Transformation ''' '''Conclusion: A boy scout redneck hunting fisherman who can fix up cars. I'm sure he'll fail miserably. The above biography is as written by T-Fox. No edits or alterations to the author's original work have been made. Evaluations Kills: Khalid Shamoun (Temporary death only) Killed By: Khalid Shamoun Allies: Keira MacDonald Enemies: Taryn Gregory, Katherine Black, Khalid Shamoun Mid-game Evaluation: '''Raymond woke up outside the radio tower, quickly accepting the grim realities of the situation. He tried to justify fighting, stating that the entire situation was self defense, but seemed unconvinced. While examining the contents of his daypack, he managed to lose the slip of paper naming his power, leaving him to assume that he had not been given one. Ray entered the tower, encountering Keira MacDonald. The two were initially leery of each other, however, they agreed to throw their guns aside and talk. Doing so led them to establish a truce. The two pondered possible escape options together, before dismissing any quick solution. After admiring the view for a time, the two took the cable cars away from the tower. They attempted to make their way to the ravine, but got lost, ending up on the other side of the island instead. This turned out to be fortuitous, as the ravine was soon declared a danger zone. The two rested for a short time, before they were interrupted by a badly-wounded Joel Deitrick stumbling out of the bushes. Joel collapsed, and Ray attempted to treat his wounds. The two patched Joel up, and took him to a cave to rest. In the morning, however, their location was named a danger zone, forcing them to move on. Ray realized that they would not be able to get away in time if they brought Joel, and thus they abandoned him. Keira was unhappy about this, leading to a strain in the relationship between her and Ray. They next went to the church. Keira moved ahead to scout, leaving Ray to examine other areas. Soon, he was ambushed and held at gunpoint by Taryn Gregory, who questioned the reasons for his presence. Keira returned, holding Taryn at gunpoint. Then, the situation escalated further when Taryn's ally, Katherine Black, also joined the standoff. Keira got too close to Taryn, who grabbed for her, attempting to use her as a hostage. Keira resisted, and the two struggled over the gun. When he saw that Taryn had the upper hand, Ray took a shot at her, wounding her hand. Taryn's blood crystallized into a spike, and she retaliated by stabbing Keira through the stomach, mortally wounding her. As Keira died, her body released large amounts of smoke, a result of her power. Ray held her, trying to comfort her and telling her he loved her. After Keira passed away, Ray yelled at Taryn and Kate,w arning them that he'd kill them if they ever met again, and stating that he was only abstaining from doing so now to honor Keira's dying request that he not lose himself. Alone again, Ray returned to the cable car station. He tried to psych himself up to return to the tower, but was held back by his sorrow. He mused on the short time remaining in the trial, as well as his power, which he still had not discovered. After the announcement, Ray briefly toyed with the idea of suicide. He rejected the idea, though, again heading towards the tower, hoping to find a means of escape. At the tower, Ray found himself highly unhappy. He felt regret over his inability to save Keira, and pondered his own death. Eventually, he decided to write a message home, using his blood to write on a strip of gauze. He put this into a bottle, and tossed it into the river. A check over the tower revealed no method of escape, and, as it was announced a danger zone, Ray left. After leaving the tower, Ray went to the settlement. There, he stumbled right into Khalid Shamoun. Ray was cautious around Khalid, but originally willing to talk with him. Khalid dropped his gun as a show of good faith, but also managed to insult Ray, putting him into a more aggressive frame of mind. Khalid, attempting to calm the situation down, let slip his ties to The Organization, causing Ray to view him as an enemy. Ray, in a panicked rage, gunned Khalid down. Afterwards, he went into a nearby house. He was wracked with guilt for a time. Soon, though, he was interrupted by a resurrected Khalid. Khalid, in a fury, attacked Ray. While Ray was able to majorly injure Khalid, he was taken by surprise by the other boy's fury. Khalid managed to bring Ray to the ground, stabbing him repeatedly, and finally killing him with a knife to the eye. '''Post-Game Evaluation: '''Subject C10 had a lot of potential. He might even have met with greater success had he actually figured out what his power was and how to use it consciously. In the end, though, his rash nature and need for vengeance was his undoing. '''Memorable Quotes: "I really, really don't want to shoot, but I don't wanna die on this fucking rock either!" - Ray makes his priorities clear "Fuck if I know why we're here. Asshole said we were picked randomly, but there's no way in hell. Shit, this is like winning the Powerball. Except instead of tossing you a billion bucks, they beat you up and steal all your shit. Then they spin a wheel to see who don't get shot." - Ray summarizes the situation "Maybe these fuckers were lying about the powers? Maybe they just want us to kill each other to get their rocks off. I mean, what if there's hidden cameras and shit? Hell, what if they have mics and cameras in these collars?" - Ray theorizes on the veracity of the powers "Shit, we need to move NOW if we want to live. Pack up and run. I wish there was something we could do for him, but we need to run." - Ray displays a pragmatic streak "Jesus, take it easy! Both of you! We just want a place to crash for the night." - Ray tries to neutralize the situation with Taryn and Kate "I... I think I... Love you..." - Ray's last words to Keira "The only reason you are not DEAD right now is because I am NOT going to dishonor a dead girl's final request! CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY, YOU FUCKING CUNT. IF YOU SEE ME AGAIN, I. WILL. KILL. YOU." - Ray's parting promise to Taryn and Kate "Listen man, I've seen so many fucked up things on this island. Smoke pouring out of a girl's mouth. Blood turning to crystal. I've seen my only friend on this god forsaken island die bleeding in my arms! Give me one good reason I should actually trust you. I mean I haven't heard your name on the announcements yet either. I guess that makes us the only two." - Ray to Khalid "Seriously, what do you think we just went through? I just left someone so close to me behind out there. She didn't make it dude. I'm sure you've lost someone too. An ally you made here, something! Yet you and I are still standing here, still breathing. And you have the balls to suggest I'm not a man?! Fuck you dude!" - Ray reacts negatively to Khalid's phrasing Other/Trivia *Ray's deathpost includes a flash-forward, establishing that his message eventually did reach his friends. Threads Below is a list of threads that contain Ray, in chronological order. *Where is my Rifle, This is my Gun... *Discovery and Revelation *Somewhere in the Between *A Whisper in the Wind *The Wonders of Memory *The Second Kill is the Hardest Your Thoughts Whether you were a fellow handler in SOTF Evolution or just an avid reader of the site, we'd like to know what you thought about Raymond Pietrowski. What did you like, or dislike, about the character? Let us know here! *Ray was wonderful. He really came into his own in the late game, and would've made a darn fine finalist. His final scene with Khalid was very well executed. Definitely one of Evo's important characters. - MurderWeasel Category:Characters Category:SOTF: Evolution